We assist the most vulnerable children—orphans, abandoned, and abused children. Children with HIV and unwanted girls. Let us help you choose the neediest child to sponsor.
You can take a sad story and give it a happy ending.
1 photo of your child each year
1 letter from your child each year
1 handmade drawing from your child each year (plus a holiday card)
A detailed progress report from the children’s home administrator about your child’s development over the past school year
- Kim, sponsor since 1996
World’s Children supports orphans and vulnerable children who live in an orphanage or children’s home due to a wide variety of circumstances. Your sponsorship fee is sent directly to the home in which your child lives, and is used to purchase nutritious food, clothing, medicine, books, supplies, and other necessities. Our children’s homes are like (very) large families. As with any family, it is important that all the children feel equally loved and nurtured. So when you sponsor a child, your donation is pooled with that of other sponsors and used to support ALL the children equitably – both sponsored and unsponsored.
Equally important to the physical help you provide to all the children, is the psychological and emotional support that your sponsored child feels. When they know that someone cares about them and wants them to succeed, they prosper. Sponsored children often do better in school and are more motivated to plan and pursue long-term goals than their unsponsored peers; never underestimate the emotional impact your sponsorship will have on your child.
Call us old-fashioned, but we prefer to work with each sponsor individually to match you with a child. Please do let us know if you have preferences about the child you wish to sponsor (for example, a child close in age to your own, or a child from a country with which you have a connection). We are happy to do what we can to match you with the “right” child for you.
If you do not indicate any preferences about the child you will sponsor, we will match you with the child who is in the greatest need of support. We know our kids, and we know who needs you the most. Once we match you with a child, we will send you a welcome packet with information about your child, and what to expect as a sponsor.
You can also go to: Choose a Child to Sponsor
We also have a Child Safety Policy, which we feel pretty strongly about.
You are under no obligation to correspond with your child, but many sponsors find an unexpected happiness when they build a relationship with their child through the exchange of letters and photos.
Children in our homes are very curious about their sponsors and what their lives are like. Most of the children are timid about asking their sponsors personal questions, but you can be sure they will be extremely curious about you. They love to receive letters in which you tell them about your family and your life. They enjoy learning what you like to do, what your job is, what your favorite games and recreational activities are, the names of your family members, and even pets. If a sponsor sends a personal or family photo that photo is treasured by the child and carefully kept with their belongings.
World’s Children sends a mail packet to each home every other month and we are happy to facilitate your correspondence with your child. We will gladly forward small, flat items like photos, letters, and cards. We don’t recommend sending any cash or gifts because of postal theft, duties that are sometimes imposed on the receiving end, and jealousy among the children when some receive gifts and others do not. The children themselves do not have email addresses (yet), but in some instances we are able to forward emails from sponsors on to the children’s homes.
Overseas mailing dates are on the first of the following months: March, June, September, and December
We work hard to make sure that the children we support are in the situation that is best for them. Usually, this is living in the children’s home and attending school. But occasionally, a child leaves the home and is no longer able to be sponsored through World’s Children. Most of the time, this is a happy occasion (such as graduating from school and getting a job, or reuniting with a family member who can provide a loving home). Other times, a child may leave because his guardian doesn’t see the long term benefit of an education, or she is needed to help care for an ailing relative. The orphanage administrators act as advocates for the children in these cases, and will make sure whenever possible that if they are leaving, they will be cared for properly.
If your sponsored child leaves for any reason, we will contact you and explain why your child has left. We will also ask if you would like to transfer your sponsorship to another child in need.
Yes. You do not sign a contract with us and you are under no obligation to continue your support. Most sponsors like to see their child complete their education and then decide whether to sponsor another child or not, but the choice is always yours. You can cancel sponsorship at any time. To cancel, please call or email to let us know that you want to end the relationship you have with your child, and we will try to find them a new sponsor.
World’s Children is committed to honoring your stated preferences for sponsorship donations. In some circumstances, such as an unforeseen change in a partner organization, your contribution will be used for the greatest need of vulnerable children living in poverty.
If you have more questions, or if you’d like to delve further into the sponsorship program, we’d love to talk with you!
WORLD’S CHILDREN IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT REGISTERED IN THE US UNDER EIN 20-5276353. ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Loretta met David Purviance on a chance trip in 2006, while seeking to be of service to the vulnerable children in India. Since then, Loretta has been a longtime supporter of World’s Children as a donor, sponsor, and previous Board member. She had the wonderful opportunity to return to India twice to visit several World’s Children orphanages, and even identified the Happy Home orphanage and petitioned to bring it into the WC family. Loretta raised funds to build a well at Happy Home, where it now has clean water for all the children and staff.
Loretta currently works with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services as the Program Manager for the six Medical Hubs – the child abuse evaluation clinics for the County. She also serves as the Program Manager for the County’s Gender Health Program, serving patients seeking gender-affirming care in a safe environment. Before her work with Los Angeles County, Loretta spent many years serving non-profit organizations in CA and in MN, her last as the Executive Director of a statewide non-profit in MN. She has a long history of volunteer work including Board Member and Board Chair service, grant writing and fundraising experience, program development, and creative leadership, all serving our most vulnerable and disenfranchised populations.
Loretta holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, a Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. She lives in Los Angeles County with her partner, Myck, and their rescue kitties, Scooter and Thunder.